de beer travel

Fans of wine have vineyards , harvests, winery tasting rooms , tours, and destinations around the globe to indulge their love of the grape. Cruises , travel groups, and weekend getaways centered on wine have long been popular, taking travelers afar to explore their favorite beverage. Chatting with winemakers and tasting room staff is often as enjoyable as sipping the wine.

Beer also has plenty of fans, and craft breweries likewise have the appeal of small, independent producers anxious to talk about their brews. Craft beer sales are increasing, and the number of small breweries in the United States is growing. Further, a 2019 survey conducted on behalf of Visit Anaheim indicated that tasting tourism is increasing as "seven in 10 Americans have traveled to a destination specifically to sample the alcohol in the region." The same survey tells us that 72% of beer drinkers have spent vacation time going to a tasting at a local brewery. Vacations based on visiting breweries and doing beer-related activities even have a name: "beercations."

If this puts you in the mood to visit a brewery or two, we have some ideas for destinations with plenty of craft breweries and other features that make for a worthy beercation. Several of these cities are known for their beer production, but there are a few up-and-coming beer cities on this list. With this bit of inspiration and a little planning, you'll find your own favorite beercation destination.

Grand Rapids, Michigan

It seems only right to start with Grand Rapids, known as "Beer City" in recognition of its more than 80 breweries within an hour of downtown and its "Beer City Ale Trail." But Grand Rapids, set on the Grand River about 30 miles from Lake Michigan, has more to offer than beer. The Grand Rapids Art Museum , the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts , and the Grand Rapids African American Museum and Archives should all be on a visitor's itinerary. The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum , also in Grand Rapids, displays memorabilia from the president's time in office and offers a holographic tour of the White House as it was during his presidency.The Grand Rapids Downtown Market houses more than twenty indoor food vendors, restaurants, a rooftop greenhouse, and an incubator kitchen for food startups and entrepreneurs. Founders Brewery , modeled after a German beer hall and set in a former truck depot, offers a wide selection of seasonal and year-round beers. City Built creates a wide range of brews and serves food with a Puerto Rican flavor. If you need a change from beer tasting, try some hard cider made from apples grown in the local area, another Grand Rapids specialty.

Denver, Colorado

The Mile High City, rich in history and diversity, is home to world-class museums, sporting events, and an extensive array of hotels from luxurious to historic to haunted. With the majestic Rocky Mountains as a backdrop, national park adventures are just a day trip away. Denver's approximately 150 breweries make it a major player in the craft brewing scene. Enjoy the extensive variety of breweries on your own, or choose from the many beer and brewery tours. The Lower Downtown Denver Craft Beer Tour includes a historical walking tour. The Denver Food and Craft Beer Tour explores Denver's culinary scene paired with local craft beers, and Rino Beer and Graffiti offers a glimpse of Denver's street art scene. With so many options to choose from, the biggest problem for beer enthusiasts will be deciding which to select. The Grateful Gnome is a casual brewery and sandwich shop featuring live music some nights (and the occasional Grateful Dead cover band). Odell Brewing Company in RiNo is family and employee-owned, and all tips are donated to local charities. Briar Common , a popular destination near Mile High Stadium, is as much about the food as the beer. Liberati Osteria serves a unique assortment of beer-wine hybrids called oenobeers—beer made from grapes.

Charleston, South Carolina

Taylor McIntyre/Travel + Leisure

Renowned for its southern charm and hospitality, the city of Charleston is rich in history, but it also offers incredible contemporary restaurants, shops, and art galleries. Chosen for its architecture, theaters, churches, and gardens, Charleston is home to the Spoleto Festival USA , one of America's most significant performing arts festivals. Visitors to this lovely city may enjoy a historic Charleston harbor cruise, horse-drawn carriage tour, or perhaps a spooky walking tour of the city's most haunted spots. Tucked into the landscape of cobblestone streets and centuries-old mansions is evidence of Charleston's expanding brewery industry. Commonhouse Aleworks serves a full menu to accompany a selection of craft beers. Rusty Bull Brewing Co. is family friendly with food trucks, live music, and craft beers ranging from pale ales to hearty stouts. For organic seasonal brews, visit the Freehouse Brewery located on the scenic banks of the Ashley River. Dog-friendly Munkle Brewing Company specializes in Belgian and German brews. Pool tables, TVs, outdoor tables, and cornhole add to the atmosphere. With a cool taproom and pub grub including coal-fired pizzas worthy of a fine Zagat review, Edmund's Oast Brewing Company is a must-visit brewery in Charleston. Pub and Brewery Tours offers intimate walking tours and a bus tour complete with tales of Charleston's colorful past and stops at three historic pubs. Charleston Brews Cruise is another bus tour option and includes samples of the unique brews at each stop.

Ithaca, New York

The Finger Lakes region has long been known for their vino (specifically, the rieslings and ice wine, though their lighter-bodied reds aren't to be overlooked). However, the beer scene just four hours from NYC is worth traveling for. The epicenter of the Finger Lakes beer scene is, of course, Ithaca Beer Co. Visitors love their indoor-outdoor taproom almost as much as they love the brewery's signature Flower Power IPA. The other heavy hitter in the area is Southern Tier Brewing Company , named for the southwestern part of New York state known as the Southern Tier. Southern Tier is now widely distributed in New York City and they have taprooms across the country — but it all started at their brewery in Lakewood, New York, which you can visit for a hefty pour of Pumpking in the fall (or the classic Southern Tier IPA at any time of year). Continue the tour de Finger Lakes beer at spots like Grist Iron Brewing Company (Burdett) and Bottomless Brewing (Geneva).

Flagstaff, Arizona

While Arizona may conjure up thoughts of a hot, dry desert, the town of Flagstaff, located in the northern mountains of the state, boasts four distinct seasons. With summer temperatures in the low 80s, breathtaking panoramic foliage in autumn, plentiful snow in winter, and a gorgeous assortment of spring blooms, adventures await all year long. The Historic Downtown and Railroad District is home to vintage buildings now transformed into shops, restaurants, galleries, and breweries. Located on Historic Route 66, the Mother Road and Dark Sky Brewing Co. both partner with neighbor, Pizzacletta , to serve excellent beer and Neapolitan-style wood-fired pizza. Historic Barrel and Bottle House offers upscale bar fare and a wide selection of craft beer on tap. Lumberyard Taproom and Grille is located in a former lumber yard with a taproom, eatery, and patio with a fire pit. These and others are all within walking distance of one another, and most are dog friendly. A short drive south will take you to Verde Brewing Company , That Brewery , and others. Perhaps you'll want to plan your next "beercation" around one of Flagstaff's festivals. Among other fests, Flagstaff Blues and Brews , an outdoor beer and music festival, is held every June, and Flagstaff Brew HaHa , a beer tasting event representing more than 60 local, regional, and national brewers, happens every January.

Portland, Maine

A stroll through this delightful peninsula city offers historic mansions, quaint shops, restaurants, and ocean views. The lobster is delectable, and there's that iconic lighthouse (the most-photographed lighthouse in the U.S.), dating back to the 1700s. In recent years, Portland has become popular for its large number of excellent breweries packed into a not-so-large area. In fact, the city tops the list with the most craft breweries per capita with 18 breweries per 50,000 people. One of the many notable stops is Foulmouthed Brewing , with its family-friendly atmosphere, delicious beer, and impressive menu. The dog-friendly Rising Tide Brewing Company has a cool layout to go along with excellent beer, a fun ambiance, and a selection of food trucks. For an informative tour with great samplings, try the Allagash , known for superb Belgian-inspired beers, games for the kids, and tasty food truck offerings. The close proximity of many of the brew bars allows visitors to pub crawl on their own, but there are tours guaranteed to heighten the experience. Maine Brew Bus Tours offers a variety of unique experiences including Bike and Brews , Walk, Talk, and Taste , Port City Running Brew Tour , and the Brews Cruise in addition to an assortment of bus tour options.

San Diego, California

The Golden State receives credit for starting the craft brewing movement in 1965 when a young man named Fritz Maytag took over the failing Anchor Steam Brewery and introduced new beers based on lost styles. With around 1,000 craft breweries today, the state is a top location for beer tourism. That made it a bit difficult to settle on one California city, but year-round, San Diego has much to offer visitors in addition to craft beer — nearly perfect weather, beaches, mountains, Balboa Park, San Diego Zoo, a vibrant downtown, wineries, and great food. With more than 140 breweries, it's easy to find one wherever you may be in the area. Take a tour in a vintage Swiss safari vehicle for a unique brewery experience downtown or in the north county area with Scavengers . Book a unique experience with the San Diego Beer Train Trolley Tour. At Mission Brewery in the East Village, you're welcome to bring your own food and book an hour-long tour that includes tastings. Little Italy's Ballast Point offers casual dining indoors or outside. Border X Brewing features Mexican-inspired beers including Abuelita's Chocolate Stout and Horchata Golden Stout, both rich with spicy aromas. So many breweries, so little time.

Stowe, Vermont

New Englanders have come to see Vermont as a beer mecca, and between the farm-to-table food paired with hop-filled brews and VT's après-ski culture, it's not hard to see why. Perhaps the most iconic brewery in Vermont is The Alchemist — their brew pub has been around since 2003 in Waterbury, Vermont. Known for their unfiltered IPAs, the must-try beer is Heady Topper, which you've almost certainly heard your New England friends rave about. In addition to their long-standing Waterbury brew pub, The Alchemist just debuted a beer garden in Stowe in summer 2021. While in Stowe, you can't miss von Trapp Brewery , Stowe Cider , and Idletyme Brewing . Plus, for a luxury stay — whether you're coming to Stowe for a ski-and-beer weekend or to enjoy the fall foliage — you can't do better than Topnotch Resort , right in the heart of Stowe.

BEER FESTIVALS , GREAT AMERICAN BEER FEST

Our Favorite Beers from the 2022 Great American Beer Festival

October 11, 2022

The Great American Beer Festival made its triumphant return to Denver in time for its 40th Anniversary celebration– and The Beer Travel Guide was happy to make our triumphant return to Denver coincide with America’s biggest beerfest. When GABF started, Read more…

BEER FESTIVALS

A How-To Guide for Great American Beer Festival 2022

October 2, 2022

It’s been three long years since the last in-person Great American Beer Festival in Denver… but finally, in 2022, it’s back and ready to rock our world (and our livers) once again! GABF boasts over 500 breweries and over 2000 Read more…

GREAT AMERICAN BEER FEST

List of Breweries Pouring at the 2022 Great American Beer Festival

August 18, 2022

It’s that time of year again! GABF is back in person this year, and we at The Beer Travel Guide couldn’t be more excited! Per usual, there will be a ton of breweries in attendance that we’ve never had before– Read more…

ARIZONA , BREWERY LISTS

List of Phoenix’s Top Breweries

August 10, 2022

Until we write our full guide to Phoenix, here is a list of the best breweries in the Phoenix area (including Tempe, Mesa, Scottsdale, and more), according to Untappd, along with information about hours of operation and food options. This Read more…

Ten Breweries You Need To Try at The Bruery’s 14th Anniversary Invitational

July 24, 2022

The Bruery is one of the great breweries in America. You can find their bottles in many places across America, but we’re incredibly fortunate that they call Orange County home– roughly an hour from The Beer Travel Guide’s home base. Read more…

Every Beer We Have Drunk in 2022

July 15, 2022

We enjoy a lot of beer every year, and for those interested, here is the complete list of every beer we have drunk in 2022 so far! We’ve enjoyed 582 beers so far this year from 32 different states. We’ve Read more…

ALASKA , BREWERY LISTS

List of Anchorage’s Top Breweries

July 8, 2022

Until we get to make a full trip to Alaska, here is a list of the best breweries in the Anchorage area, according to Untappd, along with information about hours of operation and food options. This list will be updated Read more…

BREWERY LISTS , PENNSYLVANIA

List of Philadelphia’s Top Breweries

July 1, 2022

Here is a list of the best breweries in Philadelphia, according to Untappd, along with information about hours of operation and food options for each Philadelphia brewery. This list will be updated frequently, but if you notice anything inaccurate on Read more…

BREWERY LISTS , WASHINGTON

List of Seattle’s Top Breweries

June 27, 2022

Until we write our full guide to Seattle, here is a list of the best breweries in the Seattle area, according to Untappd, along with information about hours of operation and food options. This list will be updated frequently, but Read more…

Father’s Day Gift Guide for the Beer Loving Dad

June 17, 2022

It’s almost Father’s Day, beer buds! No matter the type of father in your life — father, step-dad, grandpa, father figure, dog dad, or human child father — your dad deserves to be honored and celebrated. The world missed celebrating Read more…

The Beer Travel Shop

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Welcome to The Beer Travel Guide! People often ask us where to drink craft beer when they visit various cities, so we decided to make a site that could hopefully help everyone looking for local craft when they travel.

You’ll find our detailed brewery hop recommendations for various American cities here. You’ll also find lists of breweries for a number of cities, lists which include valuable research like whether they serve food and what their hours of operation are. That way, you can make your own hop! If you don’t see the city you want to explore on there, contact us and let us know!

We also have pieces about beer festivals we’ve attended, wrapping up the experience and shouting out our favorite beers that were served. You can read our coverage of festivals we’ve covered in the past two years, including the Firestone Walker Invitational , Great American Beer Fest , Carnival of Caffeination , Sour Friends Fest , Extreme Beer Fest , and many more!

We’ve recently launched a TikTok account, posting daily funny and/or informative videos about craft beer. Please give us a follow there.

We have a list of every beer we’ve tried this year– we’ve already crossed 650 beers for the year, so see what we’ve had and what we recommend!

We’ll also post occasional blog entries, news stories, and more! Please check out our FAQ , and if you think our site is missing something or contains inaccurate information, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Closures and hour changes are happening rapidly, so before assuming our information is fully accurate, always be sure to double check on the breweries’ social media accounts.

Finally, please sign up for the newsletter below– we haven’t been updating as much during the pandemic for obvious reasons, but when regular updates begin again (and they will soon), signing up for the newsletter is the best way to make sure you don’t miss out.

Thanks so much for visiting– we hope you come back soon, and we hope beer travels return to normal as soon as the world will allow. Cheers!

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Pints With Passports: How Well Does Beer Travel?

words: Tim Thomas

Like people, some beers travel well, some don’t.   When I was growing up in the U.K., my town had a brewery called Thwaites. It’s been around since 1807, so it’s fair to say they know how to make a good beer. I remember going on a tour of the brewery, located in the North of England, and being told that, not only did the beer taste good because of the brewing process, it tasted great because it “didn’t have to travel.”

Looking back, I always wondered whether that was true, or whether it was just a sales pitch from the brewery boss. But, as I later found on my jaunts around the world, the rich aromas, its piquant taste and depth of character was hard to beat, or when overseas, even match.

So, does local beer maintain a certain quality that beer that travels somehow loses along the way?

Cask ales–or cask conditioned ales–like the ones I drink when in Britain, are notorious for getting worse as they travel. When they depart a brewery, they are still ‘live’. They are living, breathing beers, they need to be stored at a very specific temperature, approximately 12 degrees Celsius, and moved gently. If the beer isn’t looked after, it can become quickly degraded in terms of taste.

Basically, cask ales are like fine bone china. Insofar as they don’t like being knocked around, they have to be treated with immaculate care, and they’re a bit fragile, so to speak.

But the life cycle of beer (and yes, it is genuinely living and will, eventually, die in terms of taste and quality) begins even earlier than that. How it’s cellared, tapped, and dispensed, these things matter too. Who knew beer making was so complicated?

So, what about travel time and air miles for beer? Does it affect the beer? Will it still taste the same, is it still the same beer? Well, not really.

Think of how you feel when you skip energetically off a short hop flight, compared to when you stagger off a long-haul journey, barely able to muster the energy to get to customs. Now think about your beer having the same sort of issues.

Cask ale generally becomes more watery and mediocre in taste when it travels (I’ve found that out the hard way). It loses it’s vigor and vitality, it changes on a chemical level. I like to think about my beer in the same way I consider meat; the less it has travelled, the better it will taste. Restaurants prefer local farm produce, pubs prefer local beer.

As a self-proclaimed beer acolyte, I can say that enjoying my local tipple further afield is notoriously difficult. On the positive side, it has led me to try local brews around the world that, had I been able to enjoy my local pint from back home, I may not have tried, so there’s always a silver lining.

As brewers like  Shepherd Neeme , Fuller’s and Bass will likely tell you, as much as they’d love a bigger market share overseas, their beer just doesn’t travel as well as they’d like it to.

Why would a company that makes such wonderfully crafted beer risk someone tasting an inferior version of their product? I’ve met people who have tried an imported cask ale overseas, hated it, then refuse to try it when they visit the country where it is actually made. That’s the risk, a first impression can put you off a beer for good.

And it’s nothing to do with how it’s handled, it’s more of a chemical reaction or degrading issue.

It’s for that reason that Guinness brews in the U.S. rather than importing casks of their beverage from St. James’s in Dublin.* And it is precisely why, even though you can find bottles of Boddies, Bass, London Pride and Old Speckled Hen around the world, they never quite taste the same as they do in the U.K.

The same can be said of many Belgian beers too, but will this always be the case? It is hard to find a brewer who believes that cask conditioned ale travels well. Why do you think even the finest brewers ship in bottles, if at all?

I’ve been to plenty of food and beverage festivals, both in the U.S. and the U.K. and the imported drinks on show have often fallen short on taste. That is not to say these beers are not well made and incredibly tasty…when enjoyed closer to where they are brewed.

If the place you are imbibing has a brewery nearby (or, even better, an in-house micro-brewery), take the plunge. Your taste buds will thank you, closely followed by the appreciation shown by your stomach.

So, what can us beer drinkers learn from this? Well, several things.

Firstly, drinking local beers is a great idea , and not just because they haven’t suffered the taste trials of travel. Secondly, ask questions. When you go for a beer, ask the bartender what local brews they have. If I hadn’t done that, I would now be writing about the many times I had abused my taste buds with all kinds of generic beer mediocrity.

Thirdly, treating beer like wine, i.e. caring about the age and taste, is not being a beer snob. It’s no more snooty than caring whether your fruit is fresh.

In short, some beers travel better than others. If mass produced, bottled lager is your tipple, feel free to drink the same brand the world over. But if cask-conditioned ale, IPA or other ale are your thing, embrace the change, love the local.

* For the North American market Guinness Extra Stout is brewed in Canada. Guinness Draught — whether in keg, can or bottle — is imported from Ireland. This is not the case in other countries.

Published: December 8, 2015

• Pints With Passports: How Well Does Beer Travel? | VinePair
• https://vinepair.com/wine-blog/pints-with-passports-how-well-does-beer-travel/
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About Your Dutch Guide

Hi, and welcome to my website Your Dutch Guide. I am excited to see you here, and inspire you to have a fantastic time in The Netherlands.

I am Esther, a 30 something journalist born and raised in The Netherlands. My work as a travel journalist takes me to the most beautiful places on earth, but I am always happy to touch ground at the place I call my home: The Netherlands. Born and raised in a small town in the south of The Netherlands, near the border to Flanders (Brabant, where people have the most beautiful Dutch accent, or so I think) and calling centrally located Utrecht my home.

When I was about 7 years old, my mother caught me packing my suitcase (it was a bright blue number, with smurfs on it). I packed one pair of underwear and a pair of socks, declaring I had been living in this place for far too long now and it was time for me to discover the big wide world. My mum, fully confident that my rumbling tummy would have me home in less than an hour, wished me bon voyage. And off I went, on my first adventure: around the block in my safe neighborhood.

Fast forward some 25 years later and I am utterly, utterly privileged to be able to travel the world, write about it and actually make a living doing this. I have a degree in journalism, having studied in Tilburg, and work (as a freelance journalist) for lots of magazines and websites in The Netherlands, having cooperated on a couple of travel books as well. I specialise in travel writing, in depth interviews and articles on entrepreneurship and sustainability.

Whenever I’m home, I hop on my bike and get lost in the gorgeous landscapes near my beloved Utrecht. There are castles, windmills and endless fields of flowers where hares and storks make their homes. A while ago I came to understand that this feeling is something I’d love to share with anyone willing to listen, or in this case: read about. Of course, I highly recommend you visiting Amsterdam when you come to The Netherlands (and I love going there myself, I am as much a tourist there as you are!), but there is so much more to see and do in The Netherlands. From ancient Roman ruins and castles in the centre of The Netherlands, the tulip fields of Holland, the mesmerising nature of de Wadden islands and the bustling cities all around.

So, make your way around this website while planning your trip. I have listed:

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And now, there’s nothing left for me to say except: fijne reis! (Happy travels!)

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